Acquisition of the future: A realistic today for a better tomorrow

“Change is not merely necessary to life—it is life.”

~Alvin Toffler

The search to improve results within contracting has everyone thinking and talking: The Office of Management and Budget has several ideas in formulation; the Department of Defense has announced a series of innovation efforts, which sound spot on; and several groups—including schools, think tanks, and associations—have already forwarded “reform” recommendations, or will do so soon. The extent of any change is to be determined, but most lists include focus areas such as budget certainty, industry interaction, professional development, a program management focus on delivery versus oversight and reporting, commercial products and processes, incentive fee arrangements, performance-based requirements, and leveraging technology.

Within leveraging technology, an “Acquisition of the Future” effort is gaining recognition, realizing that the societal impacts of technology and the start-ups that develop them require a relook at the process, including the structural and regulatory framework it rests on. For example, can we envision a future where government and industry relationships align in mutual understanding—even harmony? Combined with technological progress, government and industry managers might figuratively, if not literally, “clink” their smartphones together to execute the latest acquisition of F-35s, award of healthcare services, or procurement of new spacecraft. All this is occurring without today’s seemingly insurmountable legal, contractual, and process impediments.

Many may recall reading or hearing about Future Shock, a book written by Alvin Toffler in 1970, which examines the effects of rapid industrial and technological changes upon the individual, family, and society. While some in today’s acquisition environment might be cautious in their response to new technology, are some also getting caught in a Toffler-defined, “shock”-like response to fast-emerging technology and the possibilities such technology represents? Can we imagine a technological future in acquisition overcoming today’s impediments while simultaneously providing great solutions?

Indeed, a grand redefinition of a future model unburdened by today’s acquisition challenges is possible and must be envisioned. However, we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves or the credibility for such ideas will be lost, along with faith that they will be achieved. Such achievement won’t happen without wallowing in the weeds of today’s reality. This requires all those with relevant role to invest the time to understand today’s system and flush out the grinding and uncomfortable details and realities that line the road ahead. Those details are messy, complex and affect many constituencies. No smartphone app can fix that. We must recognize and deal with the present and future environmental conditions of today and tomorrow’s acquisition system. As Toffler himself said, “

Our technological powers increase, but the side effects and potential hazards also escalate.

Government contracting is different for a variety of reasons. Its purpose and those factors affecting it are not the same as for individuals and commercial entities. Government socioeconomic, program, and budget impacts simply don’t translate to the commercial sector. The government’s “board of directors” (Congress) and “stockholders” (American citizens) do not react similarly to the open market or private sector. No private-sector organization would ever embark on or assume risk for many products and services required by our citizens and Congress. However, having the conversations, imagining the possibilities, and generating the ideas and creativity necessary to achieve an idealistic “Acquisition of the Future” vision starts us down that path.

This is a worthy effort many of us support and are involved in. While premature judgment dooms any worthwhile entrepreneurial endeavor, so too does wearing “rose-colored glasses.” Let’s not neglect the hard and incremental (but still achievable) steps necessary along the way and imagine an “Acquisition of the Future” while recalling one more quote from the futurist himself: “You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.”